ACSA Superintendent of the Year 2012

Dr. Helen E. Morgan was recognized as Superintendent of the Year by Region 14 of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) at an awards banquet held on Monday, April 30th in Long Beach. This is quite an honor, as Region 14 consists of over 25 school districts covering an area from Beverly Hills through Palos Verdes. Each year ACSA acknowledges outstanding performance and achievement by individual administrators at its grand awards event.

Per ACSA’s award criteria, recipients must demonstrate strong support for the school management team; exceptional leadership in managing school programs; commitment to educational quality and student achievement; commitment to professional growth; and creativity and innovation in dealing with issues and problems facing public education.

Although she is only in her second year as superintendent of the Hawthorne School District, Dr. Morgan has already recorded an impressive list of accomplishments. While keeping a constant focus on increasing student achievement, she has seen schools earn Title I Academic Achievement Awards, California Distinguished School recognition, and National Blue Ribbon honors. Mindful of the positive impact of a strong home-school connection, Dr. Morgan has worked with principals to establish active parent centers at every school site and has facilitated the recruitment of parent volunteers. During the summer months, she presided over the development of the District’s strategic plan and redesigned the evaluation tool for administrators, aligning it to the California Standards for Professional Educational Leaders. Dr. Morgan has introduced the concept of “sacred time,” periods during which all administrators are expected to be in classrooms observing instruction. While this is only her second year as superintendent, her thirty-year history in the District and previous role as president of the teachers’ association has allowed her to forge strong relationships with both bargaining units, resulting in positive negotiations in the midst of a difficult economic climate. In addition to her duties as superintendent, Dr. Morgan also serves as the District’s chief business official, no easy task in light of the fiscal uncertainty facing public education today.

The staff, students, and families of the Hawthorne School District congratulate Dr. Morgan on this well-deserved honor.